Sketched Feelings
by Celestial Eight
Summary: "Drawing his portrait also meant looking at Adrien intensely, more than just once, and carving every perfect, marvellous, beautiful, oh so tiny detail into her memory. She felt a faint heat blossoming all over her cheeks." / This lesson's task should have been easy for Marinette, but with Adrien being her assinged partner, it becomes an emontional rollercoaster [Adrientte, fluff]


_To say the Ladybug train hit me hard would be the understatement of the century. That wonderful series literally ate me alive and I couldn't be more glad about it. And that's not only because my creativity keeps on exploding to new levels. This oneshot here is my first try on writing some fluffy Adrinette. The idea for it was born during a conversation with a friend last week, when she threw that headcanon at me about Marinette and Adrien getting the task to draw each other's portrait. And my brain was like: "You possibly can't write a +3000 words story just about that," while my inner fangirl just replied smugly "WATCH ME!"_

 _(Actually, it started out much smaller and escalated quickly... as so often. XD")_

 _At this point I also have to thank my precious beta Ju who helped me to clean up the worst rubble in concerns of grammar and Germanisms and dealt with my irresponsible stubbornness at some parts /D_

 _The whole story is written under the presumption that Adrien has an inkling who His Lady could be as the series itself keeps throwing hints in this direction as well. With that said, I hope you enjoy the following piece and it's to your liking. Have fun!_

XxxxxxX

Art classes were some of Marinette's favourite lessons at school, but she would have been lying if she said that today hadn't got her especially excited. They had been assigned to draw each other's portrait, the pairs put together at random, and the results were to be talked about in the upcoming lesson.

"I hope she doesn't pair me up with Chloe," Alya commented with a low voice when the teacher was about to read down the names.

"I think I would be fine with almost everyone," Marinette whispered back. "And especially fine with a certain someone," Alya returned with a wolfish grin on her face.

She didn't need to follow her best friend's glance down the benches to know who she was talking about. A faint blush coloured Marinette's cheeks with a nice shade of pink. "Yeah, but no way I will be that luck-"

"Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng," the teacher's voice declared this very moment.

The teenager shared a surprised look with her best friend, not quite trusting her own ears, but as the smile flashed back to Alya's lips, this time more than endearing, it dawned to her that it had not just been wishful thinking. She had waited so long for such an opportunity, had day-dreamed so often about ending up in such a situation with him... and, she realized, had considered it so unlikely that she hadn't thought much further than that. Panic started to kick in. "What am I going to do?" Marinette whispered while the teacher was reading down the other pairs. Alya gave her an encouraging nudge. "Go and get him, of course." Her amber eyes were those of a predator ogling its favourite prey. "But..."

"No 'but'. You don't have time for this. Your prince is waiting."

Sometimes, her best friend was enjoying this all a little bit too much. Yet Marinette didn't resist as Alya gently shooed her from the bench, especially since Adrien had turned on his seat and was looking in their direction.

Heart aflutter, she sleep-walked down the few steps to Adrien's place. Her mind was racing all the way, and still did as she reached him. She had to say something great, witty, memorable, something that made an impression on him. This was her chance.

"Hi."

She raised her hand to greet him, a nervous grin on her face.

From somewhere up the benches, she could hear a heavy sigh and her blue eyes scooted back to Alya. It took her only one look to recognize that her best friend was thinking the exact same thing she did. If she didn't get a hold of herself, this was not going to go anywhere. She took a deep breath. She could do this.

"Seems like we are partners for today... eh, I mean, today's lesson," she went on all jittery, cursing her inability to speak clearly in his presence once more. It was like the words that sounded perfectly fine in her mind became a horrible mess or got lost on the way to her mouth and made her sound like the complete idiot she felt like right now. Although her crush had proven countless times that he was not judging her for it – not that someone kind as him could ever have a mean thought within him – this was so very embarrassing.

Adrien's lips parted as if he was to respond when at that moment another female voice chimed in.

"I object!"

It was Chloe, wasting not a single moment after the teacher had read out the remaining pairs to come over from her seat to... be the pest that she was most of the time, Marinette concluded, feeling irritation boiling up in her chest.

"I wanted Adrien to draw me!" Chloe lamented. She shot a dismissive glare at the dark-haired teenager. "I mean, who would draw someone like you when one could have a model like me?"

Marinette gritted her teeth. If an Akuma EVER was to befall Marinette herself, THAT GIRL would be the reason. Pushing back some very nasty thoughts, she just prepared herself to fire back verbally when Adrien's voice spoke up next to her.

"Sorry, Chloe, but I'm going to stick with the teacher's decision."

He had risen to his feet and was now standing right behind Marinette, as she noticed with a hint of shock. It was rare that he took such a firm stand – phrasing his opinion more diplomatic usually – and this baffled both of the girls. The mayor's daughter fell silent, not sure how to handle such an open rejection from her classmate's side.

"Miss Bourgeois, do you have any problems with my decision?" The strict voice of the arts teacher cut into their conversation as she was drawing up behind them to check on the ruckus.

Miss Bariolé was a young, headstrong woman who didn't fear picking up a fight with Chloe or even Mr. Bourgeois himself, unlike many other teachers at this school. Marinette silently admired her for that.

Chloe shook off her stupor, her face becoming all haughty again, and she put a hand on her chest for a dramatic pose. "Oh, no. I was just expressing my profound regret that I didn't get teamed up with the only person who is able to capture my true beauty."

"Too bad for you. If you now please would return to your partner and start drawing? Otherwise I will see myself forced to remove you from class."

To Marinette, Chloe's eyes looked like those of a venomous snake about to attack as she glared at the teacher. "Fine," was the only word the blonde girl uttered before stomping away, but one could practically SENSE the unspoken 'My father will hear about this.'

"Sorry." It was Adrien's voice behind her again, making it sound like he was responsible for Chloe's misbehaviour. Which he wasn't, naturally. Marinette fumbled for the words to tell him hw wasn't at fault as one of his broad hands came to rest on her shoulder. "Shall we?"

She stiffened to suffocate the surprised shriek that otherwise would have left her lips at the sudden contact. Although the teenager was pretty sure her soul had been quicker to react and had already vacated her body. There were worse ways to die, though.

As the rush of adrenaline faded and Marinette hadn't joined her ancestors, but was still alive and breathing, she groaned inwardly at that reaction of hers. She knew she shouldn't chicken out so much about this. Besides being her crush, Adrien was still her classmate who was just acting like a normal classmate usually did. Easier said than done.

"Yes," she nodded, trying to not let it show how much on the edge she actually felt. Both sat down on the bench, sitting astride so they were able to look at each other. And that was pretty much all they did after picking up their sketch-pads and pencils. Not sure how to start tensed up like that, the young female just watched Adrien who was wielding her gaze in return. The graphite in his hand hadn't touched the paper before him yet. He just kept his emerald irises fixed on her as if he was searching or waiting for something. Above all her nervousness, Marinette frowned. This was getting awkward.

"So, uhm, how do you do at drawing?" she asked at last, trying to break the ice and to shake off that flustered feeling.

"People would say I'm up to par with the great Da Vinci," he replied unusually perky and winked, holding the pencil in her direction. Marinette blinked at him, flabbergasted. She could have sworn that she had just seen a ghost. A black one. With cat ears. But that was stupid. Stupid to even compare those two to each other. Adrien was nothing like her annoyingly flirtatious companion.

Her classmate started to realize what he just had done, and his grin quickly was replaced with a sort of sheepish expression. His next words came with much more caution, making him sound like the Adrien she knew: "I think I do okay."

After Marinette stayed silent – mostly because her mind was still reeling from the strange display he had just given her – the young model added in lieu of her reply: "But you are quite good at it, aren't you?"

"Why do you think that?" she asked surprised and nonplussed at the same time by her classmate's remark.

"I see you sketching dur…"

Adrien's words were drowned out by the teacher's voice, urging the class to stop chattering and start with the task. He cast an apologetic look and a shy smile at her, expressing that he was sorry they had to break off their conversation so suddenly.

"We'll talk later," he whispered and Marinette nodded absent-mindedly.

Had he just been trying to tell her that he had been having his eyes on her? That he had noticed how she made fashion drafts during recess? That, in conclusion, he had shown profound interest in what she was doing? Her heart thudded wildly.

Was this really possible?

It was hard for Marinette to concentrate and the previous conversation that kept her mind still occupied was not the sole reason for this. Drawing his portrait also meant looking at Adrien intensely, more than just once, and carving every perfect, marvellous, beautiful, oh so tiny detail into her memory. She felt a faint heat blossoming all over her cheeks while she studied his features, even more when her classmate looked up unexpectedly and his emerald eyes met her azure ones anew.

This time his irises held much more intimacy than his awkward stare from the beginning and somehow Marinette hadn't been prepared for this.

Reflexively, the she brought her sketchbook up between them so he wouldn't see her blush that was deepening this very moment.

"I can't see your face like this," Adrien commented, but without any reproach in his voice. If anything, there was a trace of light amusement woven into his words.

"Of course," Marinette replied with a nervous laugh, straightening her face and lowering the pad. She would have given everything for a quantum of the confidence that ran through her when she was transformed into Ladybug.

While her pencil flew across the paper, she was wondering if Adrien had noticed the light shade of pink continuing to be permanent on her face. He sure must have. There was no chance he could not have, all of the mutual staring considered. Her heart skipped a beat at that thought. OH. MY. GOD.

What would he be thinking seeing her like that, cheeks flushed, grinning foolishly like a Cheshire cat... wait.

Her train of thoughts stopped for a moment to check on herself. To her relief, she wasn't grinning. Yet she couldn't help looking up conspicuously and glance over to her classmate, surveying the situation. She half-expected to find him ogle back oddly.

Now all she saw was Adrien hunched over his drawing pad, too absorbed into drawing to notice any of his surroundings. Concentration had put a deep crease on his forehead.

With a soft motion she shook her head at her own silliness. She better stopped fooling around and got back to serious business. If Adrien was pouring everything into that task she would do no less.

"Done," Marinette exhaled and put the pencil away, tipping the sketchbook slightly to get a better look at the result. It was not perfect, she had to admit that much, but she had tried her very best to capture her classmate's face as she saw it. Her emotions reflected in every single line, it was a very personal piece of art.

Adrien's eyes wandered back and forth between Marinette and his own drawing. The question came cautiously, but Marinette could also hear the suppressed curiosity outlining his voice. "Can I see it?" There was no way she could have declined his request, but she didn't turn the drawing pad without some hesitation. Yet she didn't know why she was so antsy about this. Probably because Adrien had attended so many photo shoots which had managed to capture his beauty perfectly. How should some simple pencil lines withstand aga-...

"This is... amazing!"

The blonde teenager was staring at the portrait, his green eyes literally glowing.

Marinette felt a whole swarm of butterflies burst into her stomach. And those were definitely no Akuma.

"R-really?"

"Yeah, that's... can I have it for a moment?"

Adrien's voice was bristling with excitement. The aspiring fashion designer corrected herself - that was no swarm of butterflies in her belly. That was a full grown-out, freaking tornado of those little fellows swirling around there.

"O-of course."

She handed him the picture and watched the admiration on his face, her chest filling with a warm emotion while doing so. Not even in her wildest dreams she would have ever imagined that one of her drawings could have such an effect on Adrien. He seemed free from any restraint, the smile on his lips boyish, unbridled and true. "Awesome," he said once more before returning the picture to her with a "thank you."

"No problem," Marinette responded, heartstrings still singing from the magic moment seconds ago. She felt unexpectedly comfortable, and as her eyes fell back on the other teenager's sketch-pad which he had put upside-down on the bench behind him, even bold enough to ask, "What about your picture?"

Adrien's eyes grew wide for a second before he caught his composure again. There was a strain in his voice. "You would not want to see it."

Before Marinette was able reply a single word, he added, "Really."

"It can't be that bad," she consoled him. She didn't want to force him to do something he felt uncomfortable with and it was not like she was insisting, but on the other hand she was even more curious now about Adrien's drawing of her.

"Well..." He sighed, an expression of defeat on his face. "It's only fair when you see mine after I've seen yours, isn't it?"

Without waiting for a further reply from Marinette, Adrien picked up his own sketch and turned it reluctantly.

She had made a promise to herself not to laugh at his picture, no matter how bad it may was, but she couldn't help the small snort escaping her throat when she saw the result of Adrien's efforts.

"Say it out loud. I failed."

He did, and very much so.

It was hard to tell that these blurry, smeared lines actually were supposed to be her face. In some places the eraser had been scratched over the surface so many times that the paper had grown thin in those places. He had fought a fierce battle and lost gloriously. Even Manon could have done better. And she was ten years younger than him.

Yet, the teenager couldn't help but to think this was sort of cute. Of course she could never have said that to him, her tongue was knotting by only thinking about it. She chose different words. "I will say that you tried, at least," she said, lips curving into a smile.

"You aren't mad that I drew you beyond recognition?"

Marinette's brows furrowed, wondering why he should be expecting such a reaction. Once the realization came to her, she shook her head, the tiniest of snicker parting from her mouth while doing so. "I'm not Chloe."

Adrien's eyebrows arched up in return, and then he replied with a soft laughter, "That's true."

The dark-haired teenager's smile broadened; her classmate's mood was contagious and sharing this moment with him was the best thing in the world.

It was strange, she thought. She was still nervous to a certain extent, but while sitting here with Adrien, she could feel her confidence growing little by little. Marinette was even able to converse with him normally. She wanted to encourage him in the same way and so she responded with a small hint to the very start of their conversation: "And, you know, even great artists like Da Vinci started out as amateurs."

Adrien seemed to let the words sink in, fell silent for a moment, and all of a sudden he looked at her with a new-born interest. "Then... can you show me?"

And there her confidence went again, leaving through the next door at the speed of light. "Ehhh... I... ehm..."

"I really like your style. It is warm and so... lively. I want to know how you do this."

"I-I don't think I..."

"Please?"

Her head was spinning from all the praise. "Okay," she heard someone with her voice agree through the haze, resisting the urge to pinch herself to check if she was dreaming.

Adrien, on the contrary, didn't lose any time to stand up and change the position on the bench. He drew upsat down behind her, looking over her shoulder, their height difference making this an easy task for the blond boy.

She could feel the warmth of Adrien's body at her back, only a few inches separating them now, the rise and fall of his chest, the ghost of his breath close to her face.

If Marinette was to die here right in this instant, she would do so as the happiest person on the planet.

Her hands were shaking a little when she tipped the pencil on the paper, but luckily her muscles were remembering the lines she had drawn many times before, so they were not affected by the light tremor.

"The most important part is to create yourself a template. For a face, you start with an oval..."

"...and done. In less than ten minutes."

"Wow," she heard Adrien say and began to turn around, only to notice that the blond teenager had closed the space between her shoulders and his torso during her lesson, looking at the sketch with genuine interest. Her heart tumbled and she stopped moving midway, looking up to Adrien in surprise. His face was close. So damn close, and if she lifted her head just a little bit in the right angle...

At this point, her brain shut down – probably overwhelmed by the immense amount of blood rushing through it. Those bright, emerald eyes seemed to consume her, drawing her in. She felt light-headed and dizzy, her chest vibrating under powerful drums. He looked at her with a hint of surprise as well, but there was also something different in his gaze, like seeing her for the very first time.

And then the bell rung and the moment was gone. The classroom rushed back into their awareness and Adrien scuttled back on the bench, bringing a bit of distance between them.

Marinette let go of the breath she didn't knew she was holding. Her face was burning and when she looked back at Adrien, found a bouquet of red blooming on his cheeks as well. His green eyes were absent.

"We... We... uhm…" Words eluded her and did so for the other teenager as well.

"You are right. We should..." he replied, still befuddled, and scratched his cheek.

"Yeah."

They shared a nervous, bashful laughter and somehow this seemed to break the awkward spell between them. Adrien was the first one to regain his voice which was tinged with a hint of regret.

"Seems like this lesson is over."

"Yeah, it is," she replied shyly.

There was a small pause. And a glint in Adrien's emerald irises as she glimpsed at him.

"Maybe you could give me another one... sometime in the future?"

It took her a moment to realize he was talking about their private lesson just now and not the school one. Her heart jumped. In a very, very positive way.

"I... would love to!"


End file.
